


the heirloom of the heaviness you've known

by starsngalaxys



Series: “That’s one good lookin’ family, huh?” [1]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Especially When They’re Upset, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Kids Can Hurt You In Ways No One Else Can, Not Beta Read, Self-Doubt, hurt-comfort, reassurance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:07:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24828814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starsngalaxys/pseuds/starsngalaxys
Summary: “Will you… You won’t love the baby more than Kya and me, will you?”OrA ten-year-old Bumi is worried and Aang is a GOOD FATHER THANK YOU VERY MUCH
Relationships: Aang & Bumi II, Aang/Katara (Avatar)
Series: “That’s one good lookin’ family, huh?” [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1905757
Comments: 6
Kudos: 226





	the heirloom of the heaviness you've known

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from Heirloom by Sleeping At Last

Aang had been gone for three days. Some hotshot with over-average bending abilities decided that he should be in charge. The authorities tried to deal with him but they decided to call in the Avatar. 

The strong winds slammed the door shut behind him. Katara sat at the kitchen table with a cup of tea in her hands. He kissed her hello and she pointed out his dinner sitting cold on the table. 

“I’m gonna check on the kids first.”

“Kya’s asleep, but I told Bumi that he could stay up until you got home.” 

Before he left, he kissed her again and gently rested a hand in her pregnant stomach. Only three more months until their new addition joined them. 

Aang snuck down the hallway, cushioning his steps with bursts of air. His son’s door was cracked open with light from his lamp streaming into the hallway. He was just about to burst in and surprise him when he first heard muffled sobs. He could feel his heart crack in his chest. 

The door creaked as he pushed it, drawing the ten-year-old’s attention. The boy was curled up in his bed, and his face was red and still had lines from where it was pressed into his pillow. 

“Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” 

Bumi rubbed furiously at his eyes as his father dropped onto the edge of the bed. Aang took a heart wrenching note of the smudged and squiggly arrows painted on the boy’s arms. 

“Nothin’.” He mumbled, staring stubbornly at his feet. Aang nudged his shoulder. 

“No come on, what’s wrong buddy?” 

Big, tearfilled eyes stared up at him, and  _ dang that hurts. _

“Will you… You won’t love the baby more than Kya and me, will you?”

“What? Of course not! Why-who put that in your head?” Aang pulled his son into his lap and cradled his face, “I love you. I love your sister, and I will love the baby, but not more than you!” 

Bumi but his inner lip and choked back a sob. “Even if… even if he’s an airbender like you?” 

If Aang’s heart had cracked before, it was completely split in two now. He knew that his eldest was having a hard time coming to terms with his lack of bending, and he was worried that he’d put too much pressure on him. Of course, he had desperately wished for one of his children to be an airbender, but he knew that there was a possibility they wouldn’t be. And now his son thought that he would love an airbender child more than him. 

He pulled the boy’s head to his chest and rocked him slightly. Two fists clenched his robes and the dam broke. The airbender felt tears soaking through the fabric. 

“I would never love any of your siblings more than you. Never.” He pressed a kiss onto that top of his son’s head. “You will do amazing things, you don’t need bending. Look at your uncle Sokka and aunt Suki! Or grandpa Hakoda! Neither of them have bending and they’re amazing anyways, right?” 

Bumi nodded into his chest. Aang pulled him back and put his hand back, cradling his cheek.

“And your new little brother or sister is gonna need your help, you know. You and Kya will help them learn things and to support them! And you’re already the best big brother Kya and the baby could ask for.”

Bumi puffed out his chest proudly. 

“Yeah. I’m the bestest big brother.” 

“Yeah you are!” Aang grinned. He stood before hoisting the boy up onto his hip, “Let’s go see if mom’s got a snack for you, but then it’s straight to bed.”

“But Daaaaaaaaaaad…”


End file.
